editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.Simon's weekly show, Weekend Edition Saturday, has been called by the Washington Post, "the most literate, witty, moving, and just plain interesting news show on any dial," and by Brett Martin of Time-Out New York "the most eclectic, intelligent two hours of broadcasting on the airwaves." He has won every major award in broadcasting, including the Peabody, the Emmy, the Columbia-DuPont, the Ohio State Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the Sidney Hillman Award. Simon received the Presidential End Hunger Award for his coverage of the Ethiopian civil war and famine, and a special citation from the Peabody Awards for his weekly essays, which were cited as "consistentlyNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Scott SimonSat, 26 Nov 2016 15:21:26 +0000Scott Simonhttp://wmot.org
Scott SimonI always had a wonderful time in Fidel Castro's Cuba, and usually wound up feeling bad about it.The island is beautiful, the people even sunnier: warm and friendly, especially to, Americans. The responsables — government minders — assigned to each reporting crew would tease me about being from Chicago."Your mobsters used to run this place," they'd say. "Sam Giancana, The Godfather. You made our men bellboys and our women prostitutes." And then they'd treat you to mojitos and fabulous music.But the more you could eat or drink, well, you began to understand that the good time a guest could have was not possible for almost any Cuban. Cuban society is strictly demarcated between foreign visitors and Cubans. Visitors can eat good food in plentiful amounts, sleep in comfortable hotels, and spend money. Most Cubans can't.The minders would make sure you met Cubans who spoke of their love and admiration for Fidel, as the man who had made Cuba great by standing up to imperialism. I was impressedSimon: Easy To See Why Some Loved Fidel Castro's Cuba, Many More Fledhttp://wmot.org/post/simon-easy-see-why-some-loved-fidel-castros-cuba-many-more-fled
73324 as http://wmot.orgSat, 26 Nov 2016 14:28:00 +0000Simon: Easy To See Why Some Loved Fidel Castro's Cuba, Many More FledScott SimonCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Rep. Curry Todd Charged With Campaign Sign Theft; Opponent Mark Lovell Posts Bailhttp://wmot.org/post/rep-curry-todd-charged-campaign-sign-theft-opponent-mark-lovell-posts-bail
67882 as http://wmot.orgSat, 06 Aug 2016 13:23:00 +0000Rep. Curry Todd Charged With Campaign Sign Theft; Opponent Mark Lovell Posts BailScott SimonWhat would you consider "the best selfie ever"?A shot of yourself alongside the pope, the president, Angela Merkel, Lin Manuel Miranda or Steph Curry?This week Ben Innes, a health and safety auditor from Leeds, Great Britain, used those words to send out a photo in which he posed with the man who hijacked his plane.The hijacker has what looks like a suicide vest of explosives strapped to his chest. Ben Innes is grinning."I'm not sure why I did it," Mr. Innes told The Sun. "I just threw caution to the wind while trying to stay cheerful in the face of adversity. I figured if his bomb was real I'd nothing to lose anyway, so I took a chance to get a closer look at it."The bomb was not real. The hijacker who took over EgyptAir MS181 turned out to be a troubled man who wanted to attract the attentions of his ex-wife, and not a terrorist from ISIS, or al-Qaida. He is now in custody. But any person who hijacks an airplane terrorizes people.The hijacking lasted six hours. The plane, bound for'Hijack Selfie' Photo Subject Sought Fame In Dangerous Circumstanceshttp://wmot.org/post/hijack-selfie-photo-subject-sought-fame-dangerous-circumstances
63637 as http://wmot.orgSat, 02 Apr 2016 12:15:00 +0000'Hijack Selfie' Photo Subject Sought Fame In Dangerous CircumstancesScott SimonCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Soldiers must face many dangers - exhaustion, battle, loneliness and MREs.MREs are the vacuum-packed food that soldiers eat on deployment. The initials mean meals ready to eat, but over the years, soldiers have developed many alternative explanations, including meals refused by everyone, meals rejected by the enemy and lots of other permutations best left for conversations in a bunker.I've eaten lot of MREs while war reporting. Most people don't join the Army and expect to be fed by Nigella Lawson. U.S. Army dietitians really seem to do their best to provide for a range of tastes, from standard American comfort food to Latin American and Asian specialties. But soldiers always wind up comparing the beef stew to dog food and the meatballs with marinara sauce to something the dog left behind.Now the U.S. Army is asking for volunteers to eat MREs and nothing but, for three weeks. They want to see what an unrelenting diet does to aArmy Seeks Brave And Willing Eaters To Test Its MREshttp://wmot.org/post/army-seeks-brave-and-willing-eaters-test-its-mres
60534 as http://wmot.orgSat, 02 Jan 2016 13:06:00 +0000Army Seeks Brave And Willing Eaters To Test Its MREsScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We've been reporting this morning that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terror attacks that have struck Paris last night. The Paris prosecutor Francois Molins spoke to reporters just a few moments ago. NPR's Peter Kenyon is in Paris, where he's monitoring events. Peter, thanks so much for being with us.PETER KENYON, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.SIMON: And the prosecutor gave a timeline of events as they've been able to put it together. To recap much of what happened last night, what did we hear? What did you notice?KENYON: Well, the main point of this was to reinforce the notion that these attacks - these terrible attacks - were a very well-coordinated effort. The prosecutor cited the identical weapons, Kalashnikovs; identical explosive belts being worn by many of the attackers and a couple of black cars that would pull up at a restaurant or at a concert scene and, all of a sudden, the carnage would begin.And in several of the sitesFrench Prosecutor Lays Out What Investigators Know About Paris Attackshttp://wmot.org/post/french-prosecutor-lays-out-what-investigators-know-about-paris-attacks
59014 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 18:48:00 +0000French Prosecutor Lays Out What Investigators Know About Paris AttacksScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We're following to news from France today after a night of devastating violence in Paris. Coordinated attacks killed more than 120 people in six separate attacks, leaving the city really and on edge. A Parisian man spoke with France 24 today.(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Through interpreter) I've never seen the city like this. It's scary. Everyone is worried. No one is looking at each other.SIMON: NPR will continue to update you on events in France as the investigation develops. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.'I Have Never Seen The City Like This'http://wmot.org/post/i-have-never-seen-city
59003 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 14:46:00 +0000'I Have Never Seen The City Like This'Scott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We want to go now to - want to go now to NPR's Michele Kelemen because the terrorist attacks in Paris have added urgency to a gathering there in Vienna where Secretary of State Kerry has been meeting with colleagues on Syria. He and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, stood together today in support of France.Well, we don't have that tape but - they - Secretary Kerry said that - referred to it as a vile, horrendous, outrageous, unacceptable acts. Michele, you're with us from Vienna. Thanks very much for being with us.MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Nice to be here.SIMON: And the French foreign minister of course was there. What did he say about the attacks?KELEMEN: That's right. It was in between the meetings that Laurent Fabius spoke to us briefly and he said these talks have really taken on a new meaning. One of the objectives now, he says, is to see how concretely countries can coordinate better in the fight against ISIS.Paris Attacks Lend Urgency To Diplomatic Talks In Viennahttp://wmot.org/post/paris-attacks-lend-urgency-diplomatic-talks-vienna
59009 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 14:46:00 +0000Paris Attacks Lend Urgency To Diplomatic Talks In ViennaScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We're following the news in France today, as Parisians awoke to terror and mourning for the second time this year. Here's what we know - more than 120 people were killed last night, many more were injured in six attacks across Paris. The number of people critically wounded is at almost 100, according to French officials. ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, has claimed responsibility for this devastating attack. And this morning, President Francois Hollande blamed the group in an address to his country.(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: (Through interpreter) Faced with war, the country has to take appropriate steps. It's an act of war committed by a terrorist army, Daesh, an Islamist army, against France, against the values we uphold throughout the world, against who we are, a free country that speaks to the whole planet. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.The Latest On The Paris Terror Attacks, As Of Saturday Morninghttp://wmot.org/post/latest-paris-terror-attacks-saturday-morning
59011 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 14:46:00 +0000The Latest On The Paris Terror Attacks, As Of Saturday MorningScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We'll return now to the events in Paris and yesterday's bomb and gun attacks that killed at least 120 people. Last night, President Hollande declared a state of emergency. He mobilized the army to support the police and ordered restrictions imposed on French borders. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson has just crossed the French border with Germany and she's now in Paris. Soraya, thanks for being with us. And what was it like to get to Paris today?SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, BYLINE: It was amazingly easy considering what has been going on. I mean, it - I got on the train - the TGV, the high speed train from Munich, which went directly to Paris. And the only security that I saw was basically at the German side of the French border, where two stern-looking police officers got on board and basically were checking everyone out to make sure there weren't any suspicious-looking characters. But there were no passport checks. And once I passedIn Aftermath Of Paris Attacks, France Ramps Up Border Restrictionshttp://wmot.org/post/aftermath-paris-attacks-france-ramps-border-restrictions
58995 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 13:40:00 +0000In Aftermath Of Paris Attacks, France Ramps Up Border RestrictionsScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: And part of what makes life go on is the love of sports. Our Tom Goldman joins us on a sad morning. Good morning, Tom.TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.SIMON: The stadium in France, where France and Germany were playing a friendly football match last night, as they're called, was one of the places struck. Fans were frightened but they also gave us a moment of grace.(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: (Singing in French).GOLDMAN: That's, Scott, soccer fans exiting the stadium, singing the French national anthem. As you say, a moment of grace to recognize a very traumatic night.SIMON: Tom, wouldn't anyone in sports today have to wonder - I don't mind saying worry - you know, if soccer, basketball, tennis, hockey, even chess fans watching a big match have now become targets?GOLDMAN: Well, they certainly do wonder. You know, while nothing happened inside the stadium last night, the fact that the attacks were nearbyIn A Night Of Terror, A Moment Of Grace On The Soccer Pitchhttp://wmot.org/post/night-terror-moment-grace-soccer-pitch
58999 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 13:36:00 +0000In A Night Of Terror, A Moment Of Grace On The Soccer PitchScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: The attacks overnight in Paris represent a shift in the way counterterrorism officials see ISIS. There have been a handful of attacks around the world that have been attributed to the group - shootings at a museum in Belgium, stabbings of police and military. This is different. NPR's counterterrorism correspondent Dina Temple-Raston joins us in our studios. Dina, thanks so much for being with us.DINA TEMPLE-RASTON, BYLINE: You're welcome.SIMON: Story's still unfolding, we understand. What are you hearing?TEMPLE-RASTON: Well, the evidence is that the Islamic State is behind this. In addition to French President Francois Hollande saying that the attacks were the work of ISIS, the group itself claimed responsibility in an online statement a short time ago. And they say the attacks were a response to French airstrikes in Syria and that France would remain, in their words, a top target as long as it continued its current policiesISIS Claims Responsibility For Paris Killingshttp://wmot.org/post/isis-claims-responsibility-paris-killings
58998 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 13:26:00 +0000ISIS Claims Responsibility For Paris KillingsScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. The people of France are in shock and mourning today after a devastating night in Paris. A series of gun and bomb attacks killed more than a hundred people and injured scores. Authorities believe that eight people staged the attacks and they are all reportedly dead. But authorities are still searching for accomplices. The so-called Islamic State, or ISIS, has claimed responsibility. President Hollande has described the events as an act of war. The attacks were on a restaurant, bars and just outside the national sports stadium. The worst casualties were at a concert hall in downtown Paris where hundreds of young people were raked with gunfire. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley is at that venue and joins us. Eleanor, thanks for being with us.ELEANOR BEARDSLEY, BYLINE: Good morning, Scott.SIMON: What's the scene there today?BEARDSLEY: Well, the scene today is that the police haveAssessing The Devastation, On The Day After The Paris Massacreshttp://wmot.org/post/assessing-devastation-day-after-paris-massacres
59001 as http://wmot.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 13:26:00 +0000Assessing The Devastation, On The Day After The Paris MassacresScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: One more British monarch may have been discovered in a parking lot. Just three years after the discovery of the remains of King Richard III, researchers have turned their attention to another even older missing ruler - Henry I. Philippa Langley, the historian who led the search for Richard's remains, believes the ruins of Reading Abbey - which Henry founded in 1121 - may be beneath the school playground and parking lot. They hope to find Henry's tomb below. Now, Henry I played the 12th century "Game Of Thrones" with a good deal of savagery, and like Richard, he earned what political consultants now call a mixed reputation. Who knows what secrets might be exhumed if the body is found? Historians say that what finally killed Henry wasn't a human enemy but a surfeit of lampreys, the parasitic eel once considered a delicacy. Either way, when you park a car in Great Britain, take a moment to ponder which monarch might lie beneathHistorian May Have Discovered Henry I's Final Resting Placehttp://wmot.org/post/historian-may-have-discovered-henry-final-resting-place
52686 as http://wmot.orgSat, 23 May 2015 12:23:00 +0000Historian May Have Discovered Henry I's Final Resting PlaceScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: There are large protests planned in Baltimore today over the death of Freddie Gray. He was the young black man who died from a spinal cord injuries sustained after police arrested him on April 12. One group called for a shutdown of the city. Baltimore's Police Commissioner Anthony Batts has admitted that police officers made mistakes in how they handled the arrest of Freddie Gray. He said officers should've provided medical attention immediately to Mr. Gray, who had asthma, and whose legs were visibly limp as he was taken into a police van. The commissioner said that he was also not buckled in with a seatbelt and that's a violation of department policy. The commissioner said officials were still investigating whether Freddie Gray's spinal injury was caused either from the arrest itself or later from an intentionally rough ride in that police van. The six officers involved have been suspended with pay. Protestors say the city hasProtesters Plan To 'Shut Down' Baltimore Saturdayhttp://wmot.org/post/protesters-plan-shut-down-baltimore-saturday
51632 as http://wmot.orgSat, 25 Apr 2015 11:49:00 +0000Protesters Plan To 'Shut Down' Baltimore SaturdayScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Rod McKuen, The Cheeseburger To Poetry's Haute Cuisinehttp://wmot.org/post/rod-mckuen-cheeseburger-poetrys-haute-cuisine
48396 as http://wmot.orgSat, 31 Jan 2015 12:37:00 +0000Rod McKuen, The Cheeseburger To Poetry's Haute CuisineScott SimonCopyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: When you think about robots, if you do, you might think of famous images from science fiction, some kind of tin can built to vaguely resemble a human being.(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 - THE PHANTOM MENACE")ANTHONY DANIELS: (As C-3PO) I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations.SIMON: But why give robots our human limitations? Rob Wood, an engineer at Harvard, and colleagues are working to develop what they call a colony of flying robotic insects - what he calls RoboBees.ROBERT WOOD: They look similar to let's say a large housefly, where there are, you know, two wings, each of the wings can flap more or less like a fly or a bee.SIMON: Now, why develop a robotic fly or bee when you have flies and bees?WOOD: There are several applications you could imagine. If I have, you know, these small robots that are agile and autonomous.SIMON: For instance, search and rescue.WOOD: You know, you can envision a firefighter having a box ofRobot Bees Could Assist With Tricky Rescue Operationshttp://wmot.org/post/robot-bees-could-assist-tricky-rescue-operations
44603 as http://wmot.orgSat, 18 Oct 2014 11:46:00 +0000Robot Bees Could Assist With Tricky Rescue OperationsScott SimonThe U.S. may have added jobs to its payroll last month, but the losses are still huge in Atlantic City, N.J., where four casinos have closed this year. A fifth teeters, and more than 7,000 people — dealers, greeters, cooks and maids — have been laid off.The job losses could mean a future of boarded windows and abandoned buildings.In the 1970s, Atlantic City had lost the glitter of its golden years — the 1940s and '50s, when it was a favored summer spot with a broad beach, the Boardwalk, pastel resort hotels and the home of the Miss America Pageant.The city fell into debt, crime and decrepitude. In 1976, Atlantic City bet that legalized gambling could bring back hope, glory — and money.In a 1987 interview with NPR, Joe Wittershine of the Golden Nugget casino remembered the early days of gambling in Atlantic City."One of my fondest memories is of 1978, coming down to Atlantic City and standing on the Boardwalk while people lined up to get in the casino," he said. "Ten o'clock in theAtlantic City Falls From Glittering Resort To Bargain Basementhttp://wmot.org/post/atlantic-city-falls-glittering-resort-filenes-basement
44112 as http://wmot.orgSat, 04 Oct 2014 14:16:00 +0000Atlantic City Falls From Glittering Resort To Bargain BasementScott SimonCopyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Bel Kaufman was a substitute teacher who bounced between public high schools in New York because her Ukrainian accent was considered a little thick. She liked to tell a story about a student who came in late. Welcome back, I said. What happened - did you rob a bank? No, he said, a grocery store. So Bel Kauffman wrote a book that taught the world. She died yesterday in Manhattan at the age of 103. Her 1965 bestseller "Up The Down Staircase" told of a new teacher's first year in a public high school that was tough, gritty and chaotic before school bureaucrats began to say diverse. It was both an alarm bell and a love letter told in a series of notes and memos that range between the ridiculous and the stirring."Up The Down Staircase" sold more than 6 million copies - was made into a popular film. The very title has become a metaphor for bureaucratic nonsense. There's a section towards the close of the book when the young teacherBel Kaufman Took Us 'Up The Down Staircase'http://wmot.org/post/bel-kaufman-took-us-down-staircase
41587 as http://wmot.orgSat, 26 Jul 2014 14:33:00 +0000Bel Kaufman Took Us 'Up The Down Staircase'Scott SimonWe remember Lewis Katz, who once said, "Life is meant to have as much fun as you can conjure up." Katz made a fortune as a sports team owner and gave millions of it away.N.J. Nets, Devils Owner Gave Millions To Local Causeshttp://wmot.org/post/nj-nets-devils-owner-gave-millions-local-causes
39570 as http://wmot.orgSat, 07 Jun 2014 11:54:00 +0000N.J. Nets, Devils Owner Gave Millions To Local CausesScott SimonTranscript SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Seoul, South Korea's making some changes to its urban landscape. The mayor's office says the women-friendly Seoul campaign will make the city more comfortable for women. They say a lot of urban design focused on men when they were the sole workers in a family and that's changed. So, they're installing pink painted parking spots reserved for women that are a bit wider and longer than the average spot and closer to elevators.They also plan to resurface sidewalks in a squishy material to make walking easier for people who wear high heels. A lot of people who wear high heels are women.By the way, the President of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, is a woman and we'll bet she can parallel park better than most men and probably anywhere she wants to. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.South Korea Repaves For A 'Woman-Friendly Seoul'http://wmot.org/post/south-korea-repaves-woman-friendly-seoul
39263 as http://wmot.orgSat, 31 May 2014 11:46:00 +0000South Korea Repaves For A 'Woman-Friendly Seoul'